The Program
Our Master’s program in Geology is designed to prepare graduates for employment in all fields of Geological Science, and teaching at secondary or community college levels. Emphasis is placed on applied skills demanded by potential employers. Fundamental to the program is a thorough understanding of basic geologic principles rooted in field and laboratory experiences. The geologic framework provided by the MS degree will enable graduates to meet the intellectual challenges of their professional or academic careers and assume leadership roles in their profession. The program is sufficiently flexible to meet student interests in the application of geology to the solution of hydrologic, geophysical, environmental, geoengineering, or resource extraction problems facing society. As a polytechnic university we are dedicated to the “Learn by Doing” philosophy and stress practical interactions between students, faculty and industry / government professionals.
The Geology Department is a member of IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology , and is involved in the
California State University Water Resources and Policy Initiative. Faculty research endeavors are supported by grants from such agencies as National Science Foundation, USGS National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, Southern California Earthquake Center, Department of Education, and JPL / Caltech. The Department maintains a robust alumni network, including many individuals who work in local geoscience industries and government agencies.
The Curriculum
To earn a Master’s degree in Geology, students must complete 45 quarter units.
(Click
here for Degree Requirements and other details)
Links to:
|
 |
How to Apply
Apply online through
http://www.csumentor.edu/
Please also send hard copies (or electronic files) of your application and supporting materials to:
Admissions Requirements
Unconditional Admission into the Geology Master’s program is contingent upon the following:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Geology or a closely related discipline (e.g., Geotechnical Engineering, Hydrology, Geophysics, Earth Science, Environmental Science) from an accredited institution, with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in Earth science courses, and a 2.5 grade-point-average in related science and mathematics courses;
- Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test with an expected score in the 50th percentile or better on the verbal and quantitative components;
- Two letters of recommendation;
- A one-page personal statement of interest, including research and career aspirations;
- A minimum of 36 quarter units of undergraduate Earth science coursework is required to receive unconditional acceptance into the Master’s program.
- Availability of faculty and resources in the student’s stated area of interest.
Conditional Admission will be considered for a limited number of applicants not meeting the above requirements and following review of the student’s academic background by the departmental Graduate Program Committee. Such students must meet deficiency requirements stipulated in the statement of conditional admission within the time limit specified.
|
|
Jonathan Nourse
Professor and Chair
PhD, Caltech, 1989
Specialties: Structural Geology, Tectonics, Mineral Exploration, Engineering Geology, GIS Applications, Hydrogeology
Jeffrey Marshall
Professor
PhD, Penn State University, 2000
Specialties: Geomorphology, Neotectonics , Geologic Hazards, Watershed
Restoration, Coastal Geology
Jascha Polet
Associate Professor
PhD, Caltech, 1999
Specialties: Seismology, Geophysics, Hazards Assessment, Tsunami
Stephen Osborn
Assistant Professor
PhD, University of Arizona, 2010
Specialties: Hydrogeology, Aqueous Geochemistry, Groundwater Remediation, Energy and Environment
David Berry
Professor Emeritus
PhD, UCLA, 1981
Specialties: Paleontology, Petroleum Geology, Earth History
David Jessey
Professor Emeritus
PhD, Missouri School of Mines, 1980
Specialties: Mineralogy, Petrology, Ore Deposits / Mineral Exploration, Geochemistry
|
|
|
Additional Financial Aid
In addition to the traditional financial aid provided by teaching assistantships, department faculty are actively engaged in research projects that involve grants and research assistanships to support graduate students. Information on available research funding is dynamic, changing from quarter to quarter and will be posted on this site as available. Faculty also are involved in active consulting ventures, particularly with local mining and petroleum companies. These consulting projects often provide partial or complete support for interested graduate students.
Employment Opportunities for Geoscientists
Employment in geoscience-related
occu- pations is expected to grow
about 23 percent between 2008 and
2018, which is much faster than the
average growth of all U.S. occupations
(10%). Environmental engineers
are expected to see the largest
growth in number of new jobs with a
31 percent growth rate, while geoscience
engineering managers are
expected to see the smallest growth
at 10 percent.
Employment growth for aggregated
geoscience-related occupations will
be most robust in the professional,
scienti c, and technical services
sector (50%) and the waste management
sector (32%).
The image above provides an indication of the job market for those with advanced degrees. Academia continues to employ the majority of Ph.D. grads. Those with Master's degrees are overwhelmingly employed within the private sector. Studies have shown
private sector employment is largely subdivided into the petroleum industry, groundwater and geotechnical firms and to a lesser extent, the mining industry.
Click here for details on Careers in the Geosciences |
